Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 03/02/2010
Run Time:
67:29
The majority of exciting Celtic rock bands have
come from Ireland or Scotland, but the United States has given
us some as well -- for example, Milwaukee's
Reilly
and the New York City-based
Black
47. And on
Bankers
and Gangsters,
Black
47 once again demonstrate that their perspective isn't
strictly an Irish perspective, but also, an Irish-American
perspective. In fact, this 2010 release is full of references
to the Big Apple.
"Izzy," for example, takes a humorous
look at the interaction of Irish immigrants and Jewish
immigrants on Manhattan's Lower East Side and uses both Celtic
and klezmer elements to make its point. And so many of the
gems on this 67-minute CD -- including
"Long Lost Tapes of
Hendrix" and
"That Summer Dress" -- have a way of
making one think about N.Y.C. and Ireland at the same time. If
you've had a pint or two at Jack Dempsey's on the Lower East
Side, but have also strolled along O'Connell Street in Dublin,
it's easy to appreciate the Ireland/U.S. connection that is
such a big part of
Bankers
and Gangsters.
Black
47, not surprisingly, still have a lot to say about
political topics. Tracks like
"Red Hugh," "Rosemary
(Nelson)," and the title song are overtly political, but
one of the great things about
Black
47 is their ability to get their political points across
without coming across as preachy; ultimately,
Bankers
and Gangsters is a fun album.
Black
47 are hardly a bunch of new age Polyannas who see the
world through rose-colored glasses -- hell, the band's name
was inspired by the horrors of the Irish Potato Famine -- but
even when they delve into dark or troubling subject matter,
they have a way of encouraging hope rather than despair. With
the excellent
Bankers
and Gangsters,
Black
47 remind us that substance and a sense of fun are by no
means mutually exclusive.
~Alex Henderson, All Music
Guide